ORIGINAL: mjfrederick
This is an excerpt from the team selection ''Blue Book'' on the AMA website:
VII. World Championship Teams
Becoming a team member carries with it the obligation to work in harmony with the other team members, and in particular, to be responsive and submit to the guidance and direction of the team manager. A team member’s conduct should never cause embarrassment or discredit to the Academy or the United States.All team members shall be present at all official functions at a World Championship. This includes the opening and closing ceremonies and the banquet.
I still don't see where being convicted of anything in a court of law fits into this discussion. If a selected team member got drunk and slagged the FIA and half the European pattern community on a forum, they can't be charged with anything because no crime was commited but I'd bet their position on the team would be put into question.
I agree it's a slippery slope when you start thinking about dropping the best bloke for the job off the squad because of something that happend in his personal life. USA should field the strongest team they can but now it's a decision based on moral grounds, not performance.